One piece co-formed exterior hard shell case with an elastomeric liner for mobile electronic devices

ABSTRACT

A one-piece co-formed exterior hard shell case with an elastomeric liner formed on the interior of the exterior hard shell for mobile electronic devices. This hard protective exterior shell allows the device maximum protection from impacts with sharp objects while the interior elastomeric portion that provides shock protection for the device from impacts. The exterior hard shell part is formed to fit the device closely with a small offset from the devices surface. The exterior hard shell raps around the edges of the device. To allow the shell to be able to be mounted on the device the comers of the hard shell are cut open. This allows each sidewall to flex away when a device is inserted and snap back once it is in place. The elastomeric material fills in the gaps created at the comers of the exterior hard shell to allow flex for mounting.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a CONTINUATION of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/366,769, filed Feb. 6, 2009, the contents of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to handheld mobile electronicdevices, such as a personal digital assistant, cellular telephone, labtop computers or portable digital media player. More specifically thepresent invention relates to a multiple-component protective case formobile electronic devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many cases for handheld electronic devices. They fall intofour main categories: Elastomeric/Rubber skins, hard plastic shells, cutand sew materials and combinations of these. In general the elastomericcases are a single skin which, because of the flexible nature of thematerial, can easily be stretched over the device and then onceinstalled conform closely to the shape of the device. The rubberymaterial can provide very good shock resistance. The downside of thesetypes of cases is that the elastomeric material has a high surfacefriction coefficient. This makes this type of case difficult to place inand remove from pockets and other tight places. What is needed is adevice that offers the very good shock resistance of an elastomeric casewithout the high surface friction coefficient making it more conveniencefor use.

Hard plastic shells normally are manufactured as more than one piece toallow the device to slide into the case before being closed in with asecondary piece. Additionally they will often have a liner ofelastomeric material, which helps to cushion the device. This can beco-molded, permanently attached or floating with the assembly. Cut andSew cases are normally made from flat stock material, which is cut intopatterns and then sewn into a shape that the device can slide into. Thedevice is then held in place, by friction or a strap of some form. Thedownside to these devices is that it can be difficult to attached adevice to a rigid case, or where a case has a secondary piece forsecuring a device, it can add bulk to the combination of the device andcase, making it impractical. Additionally, the manufacture of caseswhich are required to be cut and sewn together greatly increases cost.What is needed is a case that combines both hard shell cases andelastomeric materials that is easy to produce and requires minimalmaterial in its production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an improvement over the existing cases becauseit combines the best features of both hard cases and the elastomericcases while being only a single part, which is particularly useful froma consumer viewpoint. The present invention provides a hard protectiveexterior shell. This hard protective exterior shell allows the devicemaximum protection from impacts with sharp objects. The hard protectiveexterior shell mimics the finish of existing phones, MP3/4 players, andother mobile electronic devices. Many users like the feel of theoriginal phone and would like to maintain that feel but still wantprotection for their device. The hard protective exterior shell of thepresent invention has a low coefficient of friction. This allows thedevice to easily be slipped in and out of pockets easily withoutbecoming attached or without great resistance to clothing materials. Amajor complaint from current elastomeric case users.

The case taught by the present invention has an interior elastomericportion that provides shock protection for the device from dropping,falls, or other impacts. The interior elastomeric portion also ensuresthe device and the case fit together with no gaps as the case is asingle piece assembly. The case has a very solid connection to the phoneand feels extremely high quality and lightweight.

What makes this case different is the geometry and manufacturing of thecase. The exterior hard shell part is formed to fit the device closelywith a small offset from the devices surface. The exterior hard shellraps around the edges of the device it is formed for. To allow the shellto be able to be mounted on the device the comers of the hard shell arecut open. This allows each sidewall to flex away when a device isinserted and snap back once it is in place. The unique aspect of thiscase is that the elastomeric material is formed in addition to theexterior hard shell on the interior of the exterior hard shell. Theelastomeric material fills in the gaps created at the corners of theexterior hard shell to allow the hard shell to flex for mounting. Theelastomeric material is provided in this location because it has muchgreater inherent flexibility than the plastic or metal of the exteriorhard shell and it stretches sufficiently to allow the sidewalls of theexterior hard shell to still flex away on mounting. This creates aone-piece case that wraps around a phone or other mobile electronicdevice even on corners and prevents dirt and fluids from enteringwherever possible. The elastomeric liner also can be formed over thebuttons on the phone wherein a user simply presses the elastomeric linercorresponding to the portion of the mobile electronic device input thatis desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a partof the specification, illustrate the present invention and, togetherwith the description, further serve to explain the principles of theinvention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to makeand use the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handheld device protective casedepicting the external hard shell layer with cut comers and innerelastomeric layer of the protective carrying case where it fills in thecut comers of the external hard shell layer;

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b are sectional views of the protective case of thepresent invention showing the detent created by the inner elastomericlayer for securing a device in the case;

FIG. 3 is a top orthogonal view of a handheld device protective casedepicting the external hard shell layer with cut comers and innerelastomeric layer of the protective carrying case where is fills in thecut comers of the external hard shell layer and an additional largeelastomeric overhand for securing a device;

FIG. 4 is sectional view of the protective case of the present inventionshowing the large elastomeric overhand for securing a device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the protective case of the presentinvention before a device is secured therein;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the protective case attached to a sampledevice showing the detent created by the inner elastomeric layer forsecuring a device in the case; and

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b are perspective views of the present inventiondepicting the external hard shell layer with cut comers and innerelastomeric layer of the protective carrying case is a resting, securingposition and in an expanded, device insertion position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description of the invention of exemplaryembodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings (where like numbers represent like elements), which form a parthereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific exemplaryembodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodimentsare described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention, but other embodiments may be utilized andlogical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. The followingdetailed description is therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense,and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appendedclaims.

The invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 1, which is aperspective view of the protective case 10 depicting the outer layer ofthe protective case 11, comprising two separate layers, an firstexternal hard shell layer 12 and a second interior elastomeric layer 13.The first external hard shell layer 12 and a second interior elastomericlayer 13 are combined to independently attach to a handheld device 19and incorporate at least one viewing window 14, input/output accessports 15, 16, and 17, and molded elastomeric covers over device buttons,accessible though holes in the hard shell 18 and 26. This hardprotective exterior shell 12 allows the device maximum protection fromimpacts with sharp objects. The external hard shell layer 12 mimics thefinish of existing phones, MP3/4 players, and other mobile electronicdevices. Many users like the feel of the original phone and would liketo maintain that feel but still want protection for their device 19. Theexternal hard shell layer 12 of the present invention has a lowcoefficient of friction. This allows the device to easily be slipped inand out of pockets easily without becoming attached or without greatresistance to clothing materials.

With further reference to FIG. 1, the external hard shell layer 12 isattached to the second interior elastomeric layer 13. The external hardshell layer 12 and the interior elastomeric layer 13 may be attached inseveral ways, such as glue, chemical bonding, heating, heat treatedchemicals or any other means know in the art which permanently attachthe external hard shell layer 12 to the interior elastomeric layer 13.The interior elastomeric portion 13 provides shock protection for thedevice from dropping, falls, or other impacts. The interior elastomericportion 13 also ensures the device 19 and the protective case 10 fittogether with no gaps as the protective case 10 is a single pieceassembly. The protective case has a very solid connection to a device 19and feels extremely high quality and lightweight.

Depending on manufacturing methods other materials made be used toreplace the hard plastic used by the external hard shell layer 12 in apreferred embodiment of the present invention. For example, if it wasdesired to make a metal/elastomeric combo for the protective case 10without overhangs in the hard material, in this example metal, a simplebending process could be considered for the metal manufacturing. An overmolded interior elastomeric layer 13 would provide the undercuts tosecure a device. The metal or hard 10 material would then simply providea framework for the softer material interior layer and also provide theelastic stiffness to allow the device to be held in the opening. Theundercut would be formed in the elastomeric material but the flexing toallow a device to be inserted into the protective case would come fromthe harder material, and again, cutting away the comers of the caseallows the sides to easily flex.

FIGS. 2 a and 6 are sectional views of the protective case 10 of thepresent invention showing the detent 20 created by the inner elastomericlayer 13 for securing a device 19 in the case. The protective case 10 isfitted to clasp onto a device 19, and incorporates a detent 20 to ensurea snug and secure fit.

In an alternative embodiment as shown in FIGS. 2 b and 4, an additionallarge elastomeric overhang 2 1 for securing a device 19 may be includedin the protective case 10. This illustrates a possible alternativeembodiment where rather than having an undercut in the external hardshell layer 13 and its corresponding sides of the protective case 10,the inner elastomeric layer 13 forms features that would secure theprotective case to a device 19.

These features could be detents 20 as described along the side or topand bottom of the external hard shell layer 12 or it could be a largearea like illustrated in FIGS. 2 b and 4 where an additional largeelastomeric overhang 21 for securing a device 19 may be included in theprotective case 10 so that a device would be slipped under and securedthereby with some form of undercut on the opposite end whether moldedinto the external hard shell layer 12 or the inner elastomeric layer 13.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the external hard shell layer 12 defines afitted cavity 22 fitted to clasp onto a device 19 and incorporates adetent 20 to ensure a snug and secure fit. The handheld device 19protective case depicts the external hard shell layer 12 with cut comers23 and inner elastomeric layer 13 of the protective carrying case wherethe inner elastomeric layer 13 fills in the cut comers 23 of theexternal hard shell layer 12.

What makes this case different is the geometry and manufacturing of thecase. The external hard shell layer 12 is formed to fit a device 19closely with a small offset from the devices surface. The external hardshell layer 12 raps around the edges of a device 19 it is formed for. Toallow the external hard shell layer 12 to be able to be mounted on adevice 19 the comers 23 of the external hard shell layer 12 are cutopen. This allows each sidewall of the external hard shell layer 12 toflex away when a device 19 is inserted and snap back once it is inplace. The unique aspect of the protective case 10 is that an innerelastomeric layer 13 is formed in addition to the external hard shelllayer 12 on the interior of the external hard shell layer 12. The innerelastomeric layer 13 fills in the gaps created at the comers 23 of theexternal hard shell layer 12 to allow the external hard shell layer 12to flex during mounting as shown in FIGS. 7 a and 7 b.

The inner elastomeric layer 13 is provided in this location because ithas much greater inherent flexibility than the plastic or metal of theexternal hard shell layer 12 and it stretches sufficiently to allow thesidewalls of the external hard shell layer 12 to still flex away onmounting as shown in FIGS. 7 a and 7 b. This creates a one-pieceprotective case 10 that wraps around a device even on comers andprevents dirt and fluids from entering wherever possible.

The inner elastomeric layer 13 also can be formed over the buttons on adevice 19 wherein a user simply presses the exposed inner elastomericlayer 13 corresponding to the portion of the mobile electronic deviceinput that is desired as illustrated by the button 18 and 26 on FIG. 1.FIGS. 7 a and 7 b are perspective views of the present inventiondepicting the external hard shell layer 12 with cut corners 23 and innerelastomeric layer 13 of the protective carrying case 10 is a resting,securing position 24 and in an expanded, device insertion position 25.

It is appreciated that the optimum dimensional relationships for theparts of the invention, to include variation in size, materials, shape,form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemedreadily apparent and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, andall equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the above description are intended to be encompassed by thepresent invention.

Furthermore, other areas of art may benefit from this method andadjustments to the design are anticipated. Thus, the scope of theinvention should be determined by the appended claims and their legalequivalents, rather than by the examples given.

1. A one-piece case for enclosing a personal electronic devicecomprising a flexible inner layer and an exterior hard layer that ispermanently affixed to the flexible inner layer, the one-piece casebeing sufficiently flexible to deform and thereby accept insertion ofthe personal electronic device and sufficiently rigid to reform aroundand securely retain the inserted personal electronic device, wherein:the flexible inner layer includes a bottom surface, side surfaces joinedto the bottom surface and extending upward therefrom, and a fittedcavity configured accept and retain the inserted personal electronicdevice such that the bottom surface covers at least a portion of abottom surface of the inserted personal electronic device and the sidesurfaces cover at least a portion of a side surface of the insertedpersonal electronic device; and the exterior hard layer includes abottom surface and side surfaces sized and shaped to snugly fit over andsubstantially cover an exterior of the bottom and side surfaces of theflexible inner layer.
 2. The one-piece case of claim 1, wherein at leastone side surface of the exterior hard layer includes a cut-away portionthat contributes to the overall flexibility of the one-piece case. 3.The one-piece case of claim 1, wherein at least one side surface of theexterior hard layer includes a cut-away portion and the flexible innerlayer extends into the cut-away portion, wherein the cut-away portionand the extension of the flexible interlayer contribute to the overallflexibility of the one-piece case.
 4. The one-piece case of claim 1,wherein the exterior hard layer includes at least two side surfaces anda portion of a corner joint between the at least two side surfaces iscut away thereby creating a cut-away portion and exposing an underlyingportion of the flexible inner layer.
 5. The one-piece case of claim 4,wherein the exposed flexible inner layer fills in the cut-away portionat the corner joint and the cut-away portion and the filled in portionof the flexible inner layer contribute to the overall flexibility of thecase.
 6. The one-piece case of claim 4, wherein the exposed flexibleinner layer fills in the cut-away portion at the corner joint therebycreating a stretch-zone that is sufficiently flexible to enable theone-piece case to deform and thereby accept insertion of the personalelectronic device.
 7. The one-piece case of claim 1, wherein theexterior hard layer includes at least four side surfaces and a portionof corner joints between the at least four side surfaces is cut awaythereby exposing an underlying portion of the flexible inner layer. 8.The one-piece case of claim 1, wherein the one-piece case includes anoverhang extending from a top portion of one or more of the sidesurfaces in parallel to the bottom surface of the one-piece case.
 9. Theone-piece case of claim 1, further comprising: an opening parallel tothe bottom surface of the flexible inner layer positioned such that aportion of the inserted personal electronic device is not enclosed bythe one-piece case.
 10. The one-piece case of claim 1, furthercomprising: an aperture sized and positioned to align with a feature ofthe inserted personal electronic device and thereby enable access to thefeature.
 11. The one-piece case of claim 1, wherein the side surfaces ofat least one of the flexible inner layer and the exterior hard layerextend above a top surface of the inserted personal electronic device.12. The one-piece case of claim 1, wherein the flexible inner layer ismanufactured from at least one of rubber, silicon, plastic, or fabric.13. The one-piece case of claim 1, wherein the exterior hard layer ismanufactured from at least one of plastic, metal, a polycarbonatematerial, or a para-aramid material.